RBL Festival of Remembrance

[Steven Broomfield]

Not having watched this for a couple of years, I tuned in to see if it was any better than the last few times I saw it.

 

Not so far it ain't. Ghastly celebrity mawk-fest with all the usual suspects (yes, Sir Michael Morpurgo, I mean you, Michael Palin, Tom Jones, Saint Sheridan Smith and the bloke off McFly).

 

The final straw (so far - I will stick it to the end) is a parde of people carrying photos of loved ones who served in the GW like some appalling Diana-fest.

 

Give me strength. Everyon on the bloody hall is doing it - even the Prime Minister and her hubby (I suspect Her Majesty has aschewed the opportunity)

 

I nominate Sue Bloody Perkins to host it next year.

[Interested]

Ditto, but stopped watching as Brazil GP qualifying is on.

[Steven Broomfield]

Hmmm ... Festival of Remembrance looks a good bet after all

[kenf48]

You may appreciate this article by Gavin Mortimer on , ‘The Cultural Appropriation of the Great War’ 

https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2018/11/the-cultural-appropriation-of-the-first-world-war/?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Evening Blend 09112018&utm_campaign=Evening_Blend

It’s behind a paywall but you are allowed a couple of articles if registered. 

 

All I saw of it while swapping channels to catch up on the rugby was Palin reading Wilfred (expletive deleted) Owen, that was quite enough for me.  Even today’s Times got in on the act publishing a two page obituary of Owen to redress the simple two line announcement in 1918.

 

Ken

 

 

 

 

[phil andrade]

Blimey !  What a bunch of hard nosed blighters you are  !😊

 

Mawkish old so and so that I am, I was very moved by the people showing family photographs as the celloist played .

 

Struck the right note, literally.

 

A public ceremony inviting a display of the personal and family themes.

 

High marks from me, at least as far as that episode of the festival is concerned.

 

Phil

 

 

[Gareth Davies]

I don't disagree with some of the less than complimentary comments but some people liked it.  One ex Warrant Officer from the finest regiment of track posted on social media that it was the best Festival of Remembrance at the Albert Hall that he had ever attended and he has been to a great many.  

[Hyacinth1326]

I only spotted one white poppy (Morpurgo's) and felt buoyed - but I predict more henceforward.

Edited 11 November , 2018 by Hyacinth1326

[Moonraker]

The Festival was designed with the general public in mind, rather than us old fogies on the GWF, so it had to be dumbed down somewhat..

 

(I've just been looking at some criticism on a non-military forum about a recent TV series that featured the commentators' favourite hobby, which I used to pursue. I could not help but feel that they came over as a lot of entrenched old f*rts.)

 

When previously there's been sweeping criticism here on the GWF of a WWI film or TV drama, I've invited the critics to come up with their constructive suggestions as to how they would have liked them to be performed. Seldom are there any replies.

 

One point did strike me last night: I can readily imagine that it's difficult to march down those narrow stairs in an orderly fashion, but I did wonder at the number of arms that were splayed out away from the body. My experiences of marching were limited to the Wolf Cubs and the CCF, but I have the notion that arms should be at right angles to the body. No doubt those among us with more distinguished military service can advise?

 

Moonraker

[Ken Lees]

2 hours ago, Moonraker said:

 

 

One point did strike me last night: I can readily imagine that it's difficult to march down those narrow stairs in an orderly fashion, but I did wonder at the number of arms that were splayed out away from the body. My experiences of marching were limited to the Wolf Cubs and the CCF, but I have the notion that arms should be at right angles to the body. No doubt those among us with more distinguished military service can advise?

 

Moonraker

 

At right-angles to the body? Wouldn't that have looked like they were pretending to fly? OK for the RAF-types, I suppose. 

[seaJane]

At right angles to the body as viewed in profile, I presume...

[Heid the Ba]

I watched it and enjoyed it, but I did fast forward through some bits.  It is one of the few things that my parents always watched, so there are probably associations from that.

[Moonraker]

19 minutes ago, seaJane said:

At right angles to the body as viewed in profile, I presume...

Thanks, Jane. That's what I meant!

 

Moonraker

[kenf48]

5 hours ago, Moonraker said:

 I've invited the critics to come up with their constructive suggestions as to how they would have liked them to be performed. Seldom are there any replies.

 

 

They could always revive the Victory Ball next year and combine it with Strictly Come Dancing

 

[healdav]

18 hours ago, Steven Broomfield said:

Not having watched this for a couple of years, I tuned in to see if it was any better than the last few times I saw it.

 

Not so far it ain't. Ghastly celebrity mawk-fest with all the usual suspects (yes, Sir Michael Morpurgo, I mean you, Michael Palin, Tom Jones, Saint Sheridan Smith and the bloke off McFly).

 

The final straw (so far - I will stick it to the end) is a parde of people carrying photos of loved ones who served in the GW like some appalling Diana-fest.

 

Give me strength. Everyon on the bloody hall is doing it - even the Prime Minister and her hubby (I suspect Her Majesty has aschewed the opportunity)

 

I nominate Sue Bloody Perkins to host it next year.

Actually, it wasn't family members' photos. Photos were put on each seat, and each person carried that photo.

Very nice gesture, I thought. And I enjoyed the whole thing.

[keithfazzani]

Can I for once be a voice of dissent to those who didn't like it. In general I thought it a vast improvement on previous years. These things have ro be of their time and hence "popular" singers etc. I must admit I found the two young singers prancing about a bit wierd. But all in all it was fitting to the occasion. I imagine if we saw the  Festival of 50 years ago we would find it strange. Yes I know that we "anoraks" find some bits galling, but also I know the rest of my family, including my 92 year old mum (and I suspect that she and the queen are amongst the few that have actually lived through a war) found it very moving. 

 

One local interruption however ruined part of it. The burghers of Rye decided to have their firework display last night, why I know not. Therefore during the more reflective part of the Festival it sounded more as if the war had just started rather than ended. In my opinion they should be ashamed of themselves, as it seems to me a very innapropriate weekend for such a display. Surely firework night is the 5th November not the 10th. 

[phil andrade]

With all the dissent and division afflicting us in our public and political establishments at the moment, it was a poignant and powerful thing to see people of different backgrounds all acting together and holding  up photographs of the people who fought and died in the Great War. Something that unites, rather than divides.  Normally I’m inured to the schmaltzy exploitation of emotion - I share Mr Broomfield’s aversion to the Diana funeral syndrome  - but this time it hit me unexpectedly hard. Maybe it was the accompanying music ; perhaps the earnest faces of the young and the old holding the photos....whatever it was, it got to me.

 

If I live to be 86, I’d like to hold up a photo of my Dad - or my Mum - as we commemorate the outbreak of the Second World War.

 

I wonder what sort of feelings wil be extant in 2039, and what technology will be available to turn those emotions to account.

 

Phil

Edited 11 November , 2018 by phil andrade

[kenf48]

4 hours ago, kenf48 said:

 

They could always revive the Victory Ball next year and combine it with Strictly Come Dancing

 

 

Oh they did 

[aim]

Did you hear the Marine playing the Last Post? Best rendition I've heard for years.

 

aim